2020 Domaine Tempier Rosé Bandol 750 ml

There are few wines in the world that you can call the greatest exemplars of a region or style without sparking an argument. Domaine Tempier, the most extraordinary rosé produced on this planet, is undoubtedly one of them.

“Domaine Tempier's Bandol Rosé remains one of the world's reference points for how much flavor and character can be built into a rosé wine,” wrote Robert Parker two decades ago. Since then, the cult of Tempier has claimed millions of converts. In fact, whenever we hear a story about a life-changing rosé revelation—whether it comes from a member of our own wine team or a wine lover we know—Domaine Tempier is the one thing they all have in common. 

This is the rosé that all other copper-colored Provençal wines aspire to be—a faded, peach-hued wine whose wild aromatics defy its demure coloring. Fresh strawberry and peach-skin aromas burst from the glass, enlivened by captivating notes of lavender, laurel, and saline. With hints of melon and dried grass on the palate, the finish is flush with refreshing acidity and tinged with the salty Mediterranean breeze. Boasting outstanding complexity, it can age longer than most rosés—but good luck keeping this irresistible wine out of your glass in the short term. 

When “Lulu” Tempier married Lucien Peyraud in 1936, her father gave the couple Domaine Tempier—a farm that had been in the family for a century—as a gift. At the time, the local Mourvèdre grape was being widely ripped out to make room for higher-yielding grapes. But when Lucien researched the Bandol terroir, he found that Mourvèdre was not only historically crucial to the region—it was also extremely age-worthy, due to its resistance to oxidation. 

Fast-forward nearly a century: Bandol is inextricably linked to the Mourvèdre grape. Tempier stands at the region’s pinnacle, and none of their wines is more recognizable than this rosé. Raised on the estate’s clay-limestone soils, it’s fashioned from hand-harvested grapes, which are direct-pressed and macerated. After partial malolactic fermentation, the wine ages in 50% stainless steel tanks and 50% concrete for seven months.

The result is one of the most exquisite wine experiences in the world. Don’t miss out on the rosé that has sparked a million revelations.